Jurisdiction table
| Authority | What to check | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| City of FlagstaffIncorporated city | Effective November 2023 the City requires owners of short-term rentals to obtain a Short Term Rental License, valid for one year and renewed annually. Two prerequisites come before the application: a Transaction Privilege Tax licence from the Arizona Department of Revenue, whose number goes on the application, and written notification to each single-family residential property adjacent to, across from and diagonal from the rental, carrying the licence number, the rental address and the name, address, email address and 24-hour telephone number of the emergency point of contact. The City reviews an application within 7 business days, then emails a secure payment link, and issues the licence within 2 to 3 business days after payment clears. Per the City page checked 2026-09-20, the annual licence fee is $250. A property found operating without a required licence receives a notification letter and has 30 days to apply. Local rules live in City Municipal Code Chapter 3-12. The STR office is at 211 W Aspen Ave and reachable on (928) 213-2231. | Short Term Rentals STR Property Owners STR Frequently Asked Questions Checked 2026-09-20 |
| Unincorporated Coconino CountyCounty, outside City limits | The County states that following Arizona legislation giving local jurisdictions more control over short-term rentals, the Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance requiring a permit application and fee. On top of the permit, owners or operators must notify neighbours of the operation, meet building codes, prevent rentals for special events and verify that the owner has not been convicted of particular felonies, with permit suspension and fines available for verified violations. Renewal requires a new application to be filled out and, per the County page checked 2026-09-20, an annual fee of $250. The County publishes a map of short-term rentals registered with it, a step-by-step guide, an FAQ page and the Board-approved ordinance. Code Enforcement and short-term rental permitting is reachable on (928) 679-8856, 8AM to 4PM Monday through Friday. This is not the City programme and the City checklist does not transfer to it. | Short Term Rental Information Checked 2026-09-20 |
| State of ArizonaStatute and Department of Revenue | The City states that Arizona law allows homes to be used as short-term rentals under A.R.S. §9-500.39, as of January 1, 2017, and quotes that statute's definition of a vacation rental, which excludes any unit used for a nonresidential purpose such as retail, restaurant, banquet space or an event centre. Separately, ADOR describes the transaction privilege tax as a tax on the vendor for the privilege of doing business in the state and notes that a business is likely to need both an ADOR licence and a city licence, with the cost per licence per location stated as $12 on the ADOR page checked 2026-09-20. The City FAQ says short-term rentals collect state, county and city taxes and remit transaction privilege tax at the same rate as a hotel, and that a TPT licence is still required even when an online marketplace remits on your behalf. | Transaction Privilege Tax Checked 2026-09-20 |
| Private governing documentsHOA, CC&Rs, condominium, deed, lease | No public authority decides this one. The City FAQ says that if HOA rules allow rentals of fewer than 30 days then short-term rentals are likely allowed, tells owners to check those rules, and states plainly that the City does not enforce or have copies of HOA rules. Read the current documents yourself and get a written interpretation where the language is unclear. A licence or permit does not override a private restriction, and a private restriction can be stricter than any code. | Further verification needed |
Dated changes
In 2026 the City adopted updates to Chapter 3-12 (Short-Term Rentals) and Chapter 3-10 (User Fees) and states that most requirements take effect at your next renewal. Every item below is stated on the City's own updates page, read on 2026-09-20. Read it again before you renew.
New · before any rental
Owners must carry a minimum of $500,000 in liability insurance before offering or renting the property. The City states the requirement is satisfied if you advertise through an online marketplace that provides equivalent coverage.
New · 24 hours before each stay
No later than 24 hours before each stay, the owner or their designee must check the booking guest against the National Sex Offender Public Website. Satisfied if the online marketplace performs the check.
New · maintained at all times
Working smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors where applicable, a fire extinguisher rated at least 2-A:10-B:C and inspected annually, and two distinct unobstructed egress paths kept clear of furniture, storage, debris, snow and ice.
New · Stage 2 and above
During Stage 2 or higher fire restrictions owners must remove, disable or securely lock any fire pit, open-flame barbecue or grill. Gas and pellet appliances with a functional on/off switch are exempt, and devices may be restored at Stage 1 or Stage 0.
Updated · licences issued on or after July 1, 2026
The required interior notice now covers winter parking restrictions, fire restriction information with a link, waste and recycling collection, and the human trafficking hotline. The STR complaint hotline has been removed and complaints are filed online.
Updated · CO issued on or after September 14, 2024
If the property contains an Accessory Dwelling Unit whose Certificate of Occupancy was issued on or after September 14, 2024, the owner must reside on the property as their primary residence in order to licence the short-term rental.
Steps in order
Establish from the parcel record whether the address is inside City limits or in unincorporated Coconino County. Everything below changes with the answer, and a Flagstaff mailing address is not proof of either.
Obtain the Arizona TPT licence from the Department of Revenue. Inside the City this is a prerequisite, not a follow-up: the licence number goes on the application and the City says the TPT licence must be active and include the property address as a location.
The City FAQ tells owners to determine the zoning and whether the structure is approved, and gives Community Development on (928) 213-2606 for help. Structures not approved as dwelling units, unsafe structures such as garages and sheds, campers, tents and RVs may not be used.
Inside the City this happens before the licence application, to properties adjacent, across and diagonal, with the licence number, the address and a 24-hour emergency contact. Unincorporated parcels have their own County notification requirement instead.
Apply through the City portal or, outside City limits, to the County. In parallel read the HOA rules, CC&Rs, condominium rules, lease and deed restrictions. They are separate from any permit and can be stricter.
Get the interior notice, fire equipment, insurance and emergency contact in place, then diary the renewal. City licences run a year, County renewal requires a brand new application, and most 2026 City requirements land at your next renewal.
Open items
If the parcel is inside the incorporated City, yes. Effective November 2023 the City requires a Short Term Rental License, valid for one year and renewed annually, and the City defines a short-term rental as the rental of part or all of any legally permitted dwelling unit for fewer than 30 consecutive days. Get the Arizona TPT licence and complete neighbour notification first. Checked 2026-09-20.
The City adopted updates to Chapter 3-12 and Chapter 3-10, with most requirements taking effect at your next renewal. The headline items are a $500,000 minimum liability insurance requirement, a guest background check against the National Sex Offender Public Website no later than 24 hours before each stay, fire safety equipment and clear egress paths, duties during Stage 2 or higher fire restrictions, an updated interior notice on licences issued on or after July 1, 2026, an owner-occupancy rule for properties with a newer ADU, and a licence fee increase to $250. Checked 2026-09-20.
No. Unincorporated parcels fall under Coconino County's own ordinance, which requires a permit application and fee, neighbour notification, compliance with building codes, no rentals for special events and verification that the owner has not been convicted of particular felonies, with suspension and fines for verified violations. Renewal requires a brand new application. Do not transplant the City checklist onto a County parcel. Checked 2026-09-20.
No. The City FAQ tells owners to check the HOA rules and states that the City does not enforce or have copies of them. A licence is a public permission; CC&Rs, condominium rules, leases and deed restrictions are private and can be stricter. Get a written interpretation where the wording is unclear.
No. The City clarified that a short-term rental may not be used for any purpose requiring a Temporary Use Permit or Special Event Permit, nor for retail, restaurant, banquet or event centre purposes, and the statute the City quotes excludes nonresidential uses from the definition. Coconino County likewise requires owners to prevent rentals for special events. Checked 2026-09-20.
Not on a City street overnight. The City states that parking on City streets is prohibited from midnight to 7:00 a.m., November 1 through April 1, under City Code Section 9-01-001-0003.E.7. That belongs in the listing, the arrival message and the posted interior notice, not just in the house manual. Checked 2026-09-20.
Next step
Continue to the Owner Portal for a property-specific conversation. Prospective owners choose I'm considering the program. Existing owners sign in as an owner. Nothing about your home is sent from this page.
Casago Flagstaff, a DBA of Acme Sedona Flagstaff AZ LLC · Spencer T. Farnsworth · ADRE Broker License #BR564714000; Entity Lic #LC721287000.
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